this post was submitted on 07 Apr 2025
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[–] [email protected] 89 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (4 children)

There is a Bloomberg opinion piece (https://archive.ph/JKT85) that ~~stated~~ argues that China is so-called trade wars proof. TLDR: almost no day-to-day goods are imported from the US. The imports from the US are mainly things like cars, phones, etc. That is, tariffs will have a very small effect on the lower and middle classes in China. Compare this to the situation in the US: China is the main source for cheap items at Walmart, Amazon, etc. Tariffs can absolutely devestate the lower classes in the US.

So, it seems that China can easily win the attrition war against the US.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 1 week ago (2 children)

A loss in sales of Chinese goods in America will hurt China.

”Trade war resistant” is probably closer to reality. It’s a major disruption that’s going to hurt their economy, but they can probably adjust. China can always sell their goods to some other country.

In grand scheme, I suppose America is more dependent on China than China is on America. It’s going to be difficult for America to replace Chinese goods.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

That is why many people i know outside china are buying more china products now to counter that.

Americans will still buy, actually. the people who will be affected are those Americans who buy from china cheaply and rebrand and re sell them with a huge markup. it limits their ability to mark up much.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago

...aka, most small businesses

I'm a self-employed tradesperson, I talk to a lot of people and try to get a general feel for how other small businesses keep afloat, even if I have basically no overhead. I don't have an MBA or anything but I can tell you everyone's out here keeping costs as low as they possibly can, and how do you do that? Buying cheap shit whenever possible.

That shit don't come from the factories down the road, yall. The ones that still exist and are staffed by 25% the people they used to? Those are not the ones manufacturing cheap plastic shit sold in bulk.

Not unless they're selling it to other factories, like a certain plastics plant I've actually worked at. Which is German-owned.

Ain't nobody making cheap direct-to-consumer goods this side the meridian

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

They will still buy what they need or really really want and those things with be hit with selective tariffs to really dig the knife in.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

They can, just everything people buy will cost 10x as much.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

As the first comment said, "absolutely devastate the lower classes in the US."

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

China has been building their economy over the past 20 years so that 60-80% of the GDP is domestic. A trade war with the US will not hurt them at all.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 week ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 week ago

China can do without United States luxury imports like cars and iPhones for far longer than American consumers can do without coffee makers, microwaves, televisions, blenders, dishes, utensils, clothing, and literally every other consumer good in existence.

Maybe pay some attention instead of just posting a meaningless number. It's not HOW MUCH trade is done, it's WHAT is coming to and from each of the countries.

China doesn't need America's crap. America most definitely does need China's.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

Per that list, the US counts for a little over 10% of China's trade, and if the previous comment is accurate, that's 10% of, at most, 40%. So, let's say ~5% of the economy in a worst-case scenario.

It's not nothing, but they could probably make it nothing in a couple of years, at the pace they've been going.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Doesn’t matter for the Orangutan at the white house, we would rather trash the country than to admit he is wrong.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

In his skull, he can't be wrong, nothing to admit. That's a core narcissistic (NPD) trait. Funny seeing people accuse Trump of lying. Everything that comes out his mouth is the truth, it cannot be any other way. Presented with falsification, his brain simply backtracks and overwrites whatever needs pushed out.

My mother was the only other human I've ever met like that. Others I've known could have niggling doubts, knew they might be wrong, or at least off.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

that sounds reasonable.